Flower Garden
by chiea
Summary: Ino knows deep down her heart that she may make flowers grow and bloom, but they only have meaning once they are given away. Ino and Sakura friendship, SasuSaku if you squint. Real hard


Disclaimer: I make no profit whatsoever from this story, all rights, characters of the epic bromance! That is Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. End of.

Summary: Ino knows deep down her heart that she may make flowers grow and bloom, but they only have meaning once they are given away. Ino and Sakura friendship, SasuSaku if you squint. Real hard.

_Dedicated to Ains my dearest best friend, thank you for a decade of laughter, tears, calories and gossip. To another decade! (Pag di tayo natuloy ng Bohol sasabunutan kita bakla ka!) Love you bech!:) And to all my readers with best friends like Ino; who sticks to you like glue, but does not know the meaning of silence. Or privacy. Or own chocolate stash for that matter._

**Flower Garden**

_**Reunions**_

The day Sasuke defects from Konoha is the day Ino gains a few(plenty) of pounds. Unannounced, she shows up in Sakura's apartment, demanding that Sakura help her finish the whole tub of chocolate peppermint ice cream since she's not doing much anyway. She prepares herself for a door slamming on her face or a big fat! Fat! No. Sakura does neither, leaving the door wide open to get spoons from the kitchen.

_**White Noise**_

Sakura by nature is a talker, finding the energy to talk about everything and nothing at all. Since he, now dubbed, he-who-must-never-ever-mentioned-or-die left, her silence surrounds and almost drowns whoever she comes across. Ino dispels this by being her loud, temperamental self. And by trying to con her into eating food she apparently couldn't finish on her own. Sakura has never been more thankful.

_**Meltdown**_

Ino has never seen Sakura cry after the retrieval mission failed. Ironically, it upsets her, thinking that Sakura was never able to accept the reality of what happened. One year later, in the middle of a bite of truffles, Sakura cries. Not the ladylike, restrained weep she pulled of more often than not, not a long time ago, but more of a helpless child bawling her eyes out, rubbing her eyes, occasionally gasping for breath sort of cry. That day, Ino falls asleep sitting against the headboard, with a head of pink hair, tear streaked face on her lap.

_**Call of Duty**_

Sakura, knowing that the opportunity is too good to waste, buries herself in medical tomes and training sessions with her newfound mastrer. She seldom goes out anymore, preferring to stay in the village library in between training sessions and hospital duty. Ino finds her like a bloodhound and drags her to any possible shop she has set her mind on that particular day. Sakura grumbles and complains, but follows Ino anyway trying to read a book in hand. Ino buys a pair or nothing always. The other for Sakura as a reward for "volunteering" to go along with her. If she buys nothing, she shrugs and just promises Sakura

"We'll get something on our next shopping trip so you have to come with me again, kay?"

Sakura snorts into her book, face completely covered by the pages, a small smile hidden behind.

_**Rent**_

Shikamaru, predictably finds everything to be bothersome. Particularly when Chouji asked Ino if Sakura was her best friend again . Ino frowns and whispers something about being borrowed. Chouji thinks she didn't hear him but Shikamaru knew that she understood him rather well.

"Troublesome", he whispers to the sky.

_**Drive**_

Ino knows that Sakura is a good if not one of the best medics around. So when Sakura enters the village gates on her team captain's back like a lifeless rag doll, she feels a cold front wash against her senses. After spending her free time at Sakura's bedside to help her recuperate, she asks the Godaime Hokage for someone to teach her how to heal, even just the basics. Lady Tsunade understands and asks Shizune to help Ino.

_**Jagged**_

Sasuke comes back blue, beaten but alive on Naruto's back. Ino watches Sakura tense underneath the porcelain ANBU mask, noting the clenched fists and tight shoulders. When Sakura speaks however, without any inflection, reading Sasuke's rights and all the crimes he is accused of, Ino feels strangely proud of her.

_**Prequels**_

Sakura does not attend the hearing but instead shows up, for the first time at Ino's with a whole chocolate fudge almond cake. Ino mentally counts the calories but keeps on eating. She also counts how many more years til the two of them can indulge in the less fattening but more satisfying sake legally.

"In two years" Sakura answers

Ino never lost the habit of thinking out loud. Very loudly too.

Sakura laughs for the first time since he came back.

_**Namesake**_

Ino gives flowers when she stops by the flowershop on her way to the hospital. She knows that Sakura ends up giving them to some of her patients to make them smile. She approves, for flowers, while giving bliss to whomever tends to them when they are growing bring most happiness when they are given away-especially to those who need a little bit of light in their lives.

_**Suppression**_

Sakura buries herself in missions as ANBU medic to whichever team is being dispatched. Logically, she is one of the only three medics in the village (world, she corrects herself with glee) who is of top calibre. Another side of her knows-the not so logical but almost always correct- that Sakura is avoiding ebony and golden boy. No surprise there.

_**Unsaid**_

Noticing that the sun was already setting, Ino begins her ritualistic search for Sakura. After scouring her apartment, the hospital and the Hokage office, she ends up in training ground five. She narrowly avoids falling off a crater when she spots the object of her search- underneath the oak tree, sleeping of all things. A pinprick at the edge of her senses alerts her to the presence of someone. She turns and finds, to her shock, him, at the edge of the field, underneath a cherry blossom, in the process of standing (can't move to fast now eh, when all of your chakra is sealed). Her mouth can't form any words and when she finally gets herself together, he is gone. After jolting Sakura awake, she jumps to that same spot he occupied, placing a hand against the tree bark and the ground. When Sakura catches up with her, she wordlessly gets her hand and places it against the tree.

"It's warm" Sakura mentions, feeling the tree underneath her fingertips.

Ino frowns and says uncharacteristically nothing on the walk home.

_**Goldfish**_

Sakura observes that lately, Ino has been spacing out. She can't pinpoint how she knew but instinct told her. So one afternoon, over a bowl of yakitori (No ramen, they never eat ramen), she reverses roles with Ino.

"So pig. What's your problem?"

"Other than how we are fattening ourselves? Nothing much"

Ino brushes it off. But Sakura is where she is right now because of her persistence. Near the park, she demands Ino sit down and she follows, facing her.

"Look. You can tell me whatever it is bothering you pig. No matter how crazy, stupid or illegal (she pinches Ino's nose as she says this to annoy her) it is. I'm used to it. Your weirdness, and all that. So you know, you can tell me. It's what friends are for right? Aside from getting the other to finish your food?"

Ino was never certain what it was, Sakura finally acknowledging their mended friendship, the honesty in her words, the dramatic sunset on the background or the extra sashimi she ordered, or the feeling she was about to lose something again-in the end, she breaks down crying (loudly like a pig being murdered, Sakura says a little later) on Sakura's shoulder. Though she never told her the reason why.

_**Psychic**_

Ino is anything but oblivious, or so she tells herself and anyone who would care (not) enough to listen. The moment she feels that prickle in her awareness, she automatically looks for him. She wonders belatedly how long she missed it, he who is an ass hanging around the gates of the hospital but not going in (without injuries too, now that she noticed it), around the cherry grove near the Hokage monument, the perimeter of training area number 5 and the little cafe across someone's apartment. She didn't know whether she felt happy or sad about it but one thing was for sure, she was mad.

Once, she catches him (Or he lets himself get caught) and she instead of running her mouth off, chooses her words more carefully.

"If you are just going to hurt her again, just stay away from her."

After which, she turns away and disappears in smoke, not hearing what it was he had to say. She was not giving up without trying and definitely not without making him suffer a little (a lot)

_**In Waiting**_

Sakura is never late. She hands her reports in time, reports to work on time and finishes her missions on time. She is, as of today, as Ino counts the days, four days late. She knows she shouldn't but she worries. The days turn into weeks and as the second month approached, Ino's relatively quiet lifestyle is ruined by a medic knocking on her door at 2 in the morning with only four words.

"She's back, not good"

_**Vigil**_

Ino stays again in the hospital to watch over her errant friend. Her boys (she snorts at this) happened to be on a mission, thus watching is left to her. Not that she'd let them get near her, no way. Well all of them are out of the village except for one (honor bound to stay within for 1 year), the bane of her existence and Sakura's. He doesn't even bother to stay outside of the hospital anymore, he sits quietly at the chair outside of Sakura's room, rarely leaving, just for a change of clothes she is told by one of the nurses, though never coming in. Ino thinks he is bored and tries really really hard not to be impressed.

_**Blackjack**_

A week later shows no improvement in Sakura's status. The Hokage's frustration is starting to show, if the constant need to check on her apprentice and bouts of silence are anything to go by.

"I can help her, I think"

Ino offers to the Godaime a family technique to see into Sakura's mind and coax her to wake up. Her physical injuries are all healed after all. Only the physical she murmurs.

The Hokage agrees immediately and asks her to make preparations. What she doesn't tell Lady Tsunade though is that if she messes up the jutsu, she'll be stuck in Sakura's body for life.

Shikamaru worriedly calls her out on this and she just shrugs.

"Some things you just have to risk to get to the bigger things. Plus, if I fail which is so not happening, you get to keep my body Shika-kun! So shut up!"

Shikamaru throws a pillow at her face and pinches the bridge of his nose.

_**Whirlwind**_

She glances at the door once before she intiates the jutsu. Shikamaru catches her limp body and once again, there is silence.

Amidst the swirling mass of jumbled memories, thoughts, she sees a little girl hunched into herself. Ino smiles fondly, remembering something like this happening more than a decade ago.

"Sa-chan"

Ino sits on the back of her legs to have her face on the same level as the little girl. Unable to resist it, as before, she smoothes her hair out for her, getting them out the way of her eyes. She looked like she was tired, disappointed, sad. She may be young in this image that she conjured, but her eyes are that of her older counterpart.

"Please come back. We need you."

Little Sakura tilts her head and points somewhere behind Ino.

"There's this man. A voice. He keeps on telling me that I should go with him. He even showed me a meadow with a lot of flowers with my dad."

Ino gasps and pulls her into an embrace crying, and holding on to her tightly.

"No don't. Whatever you do, don't go there Sakura-chan. Please.. Don't leave.."

Emerald eyes look up to her and a small hand pats Ino's now wet cheeks.

"Will I make you sad if I go? In-chan?"

Ino actually bonks her on the head.

"Of course you idiot! Not only me. There's this guy too."

Sakura looked confused. Ino, realizing that her time is nearly up, throws all her cards on the table.

"This guy who really really likes you. He's a bastard for not saying anything but he's been following you around. It's creepy but I know you like that sort of thing. I just didn't say anything. I didn't want to lose.. I can't watch you get hurt so I.. I.. God I'm sorry Sakura.. I've been in the way haven't I?? I.."

Ino's figure starts to fade and little Sakura desperately tries to hold her hand.

"Just be happy okay. And if he hurts you again, tell me. I'll neuter him!"

When she comes to, her weight is being supported by Shikamaru who from the looks of it, just started breathing again. She regains her balance and reaches out for Sakura who now looks like on the verge of waking. She arranges her hair for her and leans down to pinch her cheek.

"Good luck Sa-chan"

_**Directives**_

Ino heads out of the room without waiting for her to wake up, a glum but relieved Shikamaru behind her. She goes directly to Sasuke and pokes him on the chest-hard.

"She's about to wake up, Charming."

Sasuke suddenly stands, but Ino's hand is still on his chest, looking at him squarely in the eye.

"Do you like flowers, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke looks stumped, and quietly waits for her to continue.

"You probably do, right? Just take good care of them. Don't forget to give them water... And talking to them occasionally won't hurt anyone either."

Ino, finally content with her parting words glides past him, towards the hospital exit, not expecting an answer.

"I understand." Sasuke answers softly.

Ino turns in shock, only to find him gone and Sakura's door opened once again.

_**Breakeven**_

Ino, for the first time in a long while, asks for a solo mission- a long one. The Hokage doesn't ask questions and sends her to Suna for three months. When she returns, with a tan and a completed mission scroll, she is pleasantly surprised by a scowling Sakura standing by the village gates. Ino spots a mop of black hair hidden in the not so far distance in the rooftops.

"Hopeless" she mutters to herself as she closes the distance between her and Sakura. But she smiles anyway and glomps Sakura with all her strength- who finally stopped scowling and resorted to sighing.

"I missed you too, Sakura-chan!" She couldn't help but to wink at some point behind Sakura, inwardly laughing at him.

Sakura was still hers. A part of her at least. And that was enough.

_**..Ends well**_

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU"RE NOT COMFORTABLE??!" Don't tell me he tried something funny?!!"

Sakura tries to clamp her hand against Ino's mouth rather unsuccessfully.

"What about you, pig?! I don't want to like him if.. if you.. still you know.. like him.."

In retaliation, Ino pinches and stretches Sakura's cheeks. She turns purple and inhales deeply. Sakura, knowing Ino all too well braces herself for a screamfest.

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?? YOU DODO BIRD! I ONLY SAID I LIKED HIM BEFORE TO PISS YOU OFF!

Both ladies fail to notice the two men who were supposed to pick them up respectively. Sasuke, though expressionless was obviously intently listening to the conversation (read:screamfest). Shikamaru is pulling his hair out and wondered what it was he did in his past life to deserve this torment.

"Sometimes I wonder how they became friends." He notes to himself while watching the carnage, not really expecting a reply from his rather reticent companion.

"They're both blind as bats. No. Worse." Sasuke replies, exasperated, giving him a knowing look.

Shikamaru actually blushes. But that's a story for another day.

**FIN**

Author's Note:

Can't believe I churned this out while studying for Surgery. In my blackberry memopad. The dedication! The procrastination to study! Go figure. It's been a while so I'm really really really rusty. Comments, reviews are appreciated. Holler if you see a blimp. A potato. Or a grammatical error. Not necessarily in that order.

Cheerios!:)


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